Blast
by Stabson
Summary: Everything happened so fast after that. There were shots fired from inside the bank, and he whipped his head around. When he looked back at Daniel, he was about to pull the trigger... Alternative ending to 'Blast'. E/O


A/N: Season 7, episode Blast is one of my favorite episodes. While watching it, I asked myself, what would happen if one little change was made?

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><p>Daniel opened the door of the bank, and the first thing Elliot saw was a line of police cruisers, an ambulance and SWAT team vehicles. He almost wasn't sure to feel; they were here, but how long would it be before Daniel seriously hurt someone? He heard Cragen yell for them to hold their fire, and Daniel pushed him back inside, "Inside."<p>

Everything happened so fast. There were shots fired from inside the bank, and Elliot whipped his head around to see one of the bank security guards, gun raised. When he looked back at Daniel, he was about to pull the trigger of the Mack Ten.

_No!_

His body reacted before he could even think. He shoved Daniel backwards, putting himself between the muzzle of his gun and the crowd.

There was an ear-piercing _CRACK_, followed almost immediately by a wet _SLAP_. After that, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The whole room went silent as Elliot felt warm wetness seep through his shirt.

_I've been shot. He shot me. _

Finally, he stumbled backwards, and fell against one of the cubicles. His chest was numb as he slid to the floor.

Melinda was above him in an instant, taking his pulse, pressing something to the wound on his chest, "Elliot? Elliot, can you hear me?"

The pain rolled over him in waves. His shirt was already saturated with blood. He groaned in pain, and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment.

"You're gonna be okay," she told him, "Just hang in there."

Elliot swallowed, and turned to the young man, "Daniel… you've got to stop this."

Daniel shook his head, "I-I didn't mean to…"

"Detective Stabler's right, Daniel," Melinda said, keeping the pressure on his wound as she looked up at Daniel, "We need to get him to the hospital or you're going to be in some serious trouble."

Olivia got out of the sedan, and jogged over to Cragen, who was behind one of the cop cars, "I heard what happened. What's going on in there? Is Elliot okay?"

The captain looked at her with glossy eyes, "We don't know. There was a gun to his head, shots were fired…"

_Shots were fired. Elliot's inside. _

Terror flashed through her like lightning. _Dear God, let him be okay. Please, let him be okay. _

"No… that couldn't have…"

"Line's patched through, Captain."

Don took the phone, and it started to ring. Olivia turned to the building, and bit her lip. Tears formed in her eyes as she prayed silently.

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><p>The phone rang, and Daniel whipped his head around to look at it, "Don't answer that."<p>

"It's a negotiator," Elliot rasped, "You can tell them what you want."

Melinda pressed the jacket tighter against him, and spoke quietly to him, "It's okay, Elliot. You need to save your strength. I can handle this."

Elliot leaned his head back against the cubicle, his eyes closing halfway. The exhaustion was coming now. He just wanted to sleep, but in the back of his mind, he knew what would happen if he did. Melinda turned to Daniel, "Go ahead and answer it, Daniel."

He shook his head, "No. _You_ answer it."

"I can't. I have to hold the pressure," Melinda answered. Elliot's trembling hand covered hers, and he spoke in a whisper, "It's okay. I can hold it for a minute."

She reluctantly got up, and picked the phone up off the jack. "Hello?"

"Melinda?" Cragen asked from the other end, "What's going on in there? Is everyone okay?"

"No," she answered, "Elliot's been shot. He needs an ambulance."

Cragen's heard skipped a beat, "How long does he have?"

Melinda looked down at the detective. He was ghostly pale, and it looked like he was starting to have trouble breathing. He could barely hold his jacket to the wound; the blood was beginning to pour our once again. She had to get back to him quickly before he lost too much. "Not long. If he doesn't get out of here soon…"

"Okay," the captain answered, "Ask Daniel if he'll let the hostages go."

"No way," Daniel said, "They're my ticket out of here. No way they're going."

"Listen," Melinda said, and gestured towards her patient, "He's a cop. There's no way everyone out there is gonna let him die. They'll do what you want."

Daniel was silent for several seconds, looking as if he was weighing his options. "Fine," he said finally, "They can go. But you two stay."

The rest of the people immediately fled, but Jake stayed, his eyes glued to his son, "Daniel."

"Mr. Hunter, you need to get out of here," Melinda said, returning to Elliot to hold the pressure on his wound. His eyes were closed and he was barely breathing. She leaned forward, speaking softly in his ear "Come on, Elliot, you need to keep fighting."

Elliot heard her through the haziness in his mind. He was beginning to slip; he knew he wasn't going to be able to hold on much longer. In the back of his mind, he hoped Daniel gave it up soon. He definitely didn't want to die in the middle of a bank.

Jake stepped forward, "Daniel, you're already in a lot of trouble. You need to let Detective Stabler go or he'll die. You don't want to be responsible for his death, do you?"

Daniel shook his head, "I'm going to jail anyway. It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does," Jake said, "They'll go easier on you if you just let them go. All's you have to do is put the gun down. We can walk out together, okay?"

Daniel slowly lowered the gun, setting it down on the table. He turned to Melinda. "I-is he going to be okay?"

"He won't be if he doesn't get to a hospital soon." She said. "He probably only has a few minutes left."

"I'm sorry." Daniel said shakily. "Please... tell him I'm sorry."

Melinda watched as Daniel walked out of the bank with his father next to him. He was thrown to the ground and cuffed, and paramedics rushed in.

"Please hurry," Melinda said, stepping back so they could work.

The paramedics lifted Elliot onto a stretcher, and a sharp wave of pain washed over him. His eyes cracked open as he was rolled out of the bank. Cragen and Olivia were over him in a second.

He heard his partner's voice, "Elliot? It's going to be okay, sweetheart. Just hang in there."

He was too far gone to wonder why she had called him sweetheart. His eyes stuck to her as he was rolled into the back of the ambulance. His eyes slid closed, and they didn't open again.

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><p>Before Olivia knew it, she was in a waiting room at Bellevue, alone. He remained unconscious for the entire ride, and coded twice before they made it. To be completely honest, she was absolutely terrified.<p>

The only thing she could see in her mind was him, pale, bleeding and dying on the stretcher. She couldn't lose him; her life would be nothing without him. She loved him.

Melinda and Cragen walked in, and the M.E. spoke immediately, "Olivia? Is he okay?"

"I don't know," she answered softly, "He's still in surgery."

"I'm sorry," she said, "I should have done more."

Olivia shook her head. She knew that without the medical examiner, Elliot would most certainly be dead. "You did all you could, Melinda. Thank you."

"I just hope he'll be okay."

The female detective nodded her head as she sunk down on one of chairs, "Me too."

Cragen sat next to her, and looked between the two women, "He _will_ be okay. You two know that, don't you? He wouldn't let some punk take him out."

Olivia laughed sadly at Don's words… it definitely sounded like something that Elliot would say. She sighed, and leaned back against the hard, uncomfortable hospital chair. She knew Elliot was a fighter; he's survived things that most people wouldn't have, but she couldn't help but worry. There was only one person could take. Elliot's body could only handle so much before it shut down.

It seemed like forever before a doctor in a white coat walked into the waiting room. "Family of Elliot Stabler?"

Olivia shot up, "That's us. Is he okay?"

The doctor made his way over as Melinda and the captain stood, "Detective Stabler is very lucky. If the bullet hit half an inch in any other direction, he would have been killed instantly."

"S-so is he okay?" The words shook Olivia to the very core. _I was half an inch from losing the person that means the most to me. The kids were half an inch from never seeing their father alive again. _

The doctor smiled warmly. "Don't worry, Detective. The bullet didn't damage any organs. It'll take a bit of recovery time, but he'll be just fine."

It felt like the weight of the world was lifted off of her shoulders. She sighed in relief. "Can we see him?"

"Yes, of course." The doctor answered, "He's asleep right now, so please just one at a time. Room 212."

"Thank you," Don stated, and the other man nodded before heading off.

Olivia looked at the other two, and Melinda smiled slightly, "Go ahead, Liv. He needs you."

She smiled gratefully, and nodded, heading down the hallway. When she walked into the hospital room, he was laying in bed, eyes closed. There were dark circles under his eyes, and she could see stubble on his cheeks. He looked pale and weak, so unlike the partner she knew and loved, but he was alive. That was all that mattered. He was going to be okay.

"El," she whispered, sitting down next to him, taking his hand in both of hers, "God… you scared the hell out of me."

She knew that he couldn't hear her, but she spoke anyway. He was going to be okay. She was so glad that he was going to be okay.

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><p>AN: Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed this little one-shot.

Have a great morning/afternoon/evening!

-Stabson


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